BLOOMINGTON, MN, Dec. 1, 2014 – Wine and spirits specialists from Napa to Ningxia and throughout the world can prove their expertise by achieving specialized certifications – now with increased availability and convenience through computer-based testing.
The Society of Wine Educators has entered into a new partnership with computer-based testing (CBT) leader Pearson VUE to transform the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) certification exams from paper-and-pencil to CBT globally.
The rigorous certifications – sought by everyone from vintners to chefs, hospitality professionals, educators, retailers and restaurateurs – are a valuable and widely respected mark of a commitment to personal and career development and ultimately to the wine and spirits industry as a whole. Those looking to further expand to the next tier of wine specialty certification may take the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) as a pre-requisite to the highly regarded Certified Wine Educator (CWE) which entails a paper-and-pencil theory exam as well as practical and demonstration components.
For those pursuing the CSW and CSS certifications, the move to CBT allows greater convenience for candidates who will be able to book tests on dates of their choice at nearly 500 test centers in more than 100 countries.
Shields T. Hood, General Manager at the Society of Wine Educators, said: “The Society of Wine Educators is thrilled to announce this new partnership, which will expand the reach of our exams and certification opportunities to a world-wide audience. We also know, because they have been telling us for years, that our candidates will appreciate the convenience of being able to schedule their exams at the time and place of their choice.
“After an extensive amount of research, we determined that the services provided by Pearson VUE offered us the perfect combination of global reach and high-level exam security. We cannot wait to get started, and are proud to announce this next step in our organization’s development.”
Bob Whelan, Managing Director of Pearson VUE, said: “I am delighted that we were selected by the Society of Wine Educators, which is known for its focus on quality, to take its highly respected certification exams from pen-and-paper to computer-based assessment programs. The global reach offered by our network of test centers means that candidates around the world will now have the opportunity to earn these credentials.”
About The Society of Wine Educators
The Society of Wine Educators was founded in 1977. It is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to advance wine and spirits education through professional development and certification. It offers several programs: the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS), Certified Wine Educator (CWE), and Hospitality/Beverage Specialist Certificate (HBSC). These are internationally recognized and highly regarded in the wine and spirits industry. For more information please visit www.societyofwineeducators.org, look for the Society of Wine Educators on Facebook and Twitter, or call the SWE home office on +1 202 408 8777.